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Author William Genereux

The US Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional on June 24, 2019, a federal prohibition on the registration of immoral or scandalous trademarks. The trademark in question was FUCT, a popular clothing brand out of Southern California with roots in skateboard…

Blockchains are a new, exciting, mysterious, transformational technology – surrounded by a lot of hype. Being a lawyer, I viewed this as a challenge. I wanted to investigate. I wanted to cut through the hype and at the same time contribute…

Thankfully the jury in the United States District Court, Central District of California got it right in the Michael Skidmore v. Led Zeppelin, et al case decided June 23, 2016. There were no “Blurred Lines” this time, like in the…

I’m a lawyer who writes music recording contracts and litigates breaches of recording contracts in court. I have a perspective on things that are needed yet are often poorly addressed in these types of agreements. These things can be pivotal in negotiating a smart business relationship and winning disputes. There is no closed list. Here’s some of what I look for in music contracts and in the business relationships behind them.

In an effort to get as many subscribers as possible, whether to dominate in terms of market share or to provide an early exit-strategy for insiders, the streaming music services have been gambling with their own sustainability as well as the industry’s because without enough revenue the industry will continue to collapse.

As with many top-selling music artists, Marc Bolan had a team of professionals making decisions for him. When he died prematurely, his team was left with inadequate instructions that most likely did not reflect his wishes. Rolan is still trying to untangle the remainder of the financial mess that was left behind after his father’s untimely death.

Depending on how you look at it, Chicago rapper Chief Keef, age 17, recently signed to a $6 million deal with Interscope Records (UMG) is a folk hero, another dumb kid, an opportunist, or a willing victim. He is a youth soldier in a rap war that rewards very few with immense profits, and leave most everyone else to deal with the collateral damage.

With software and game development agreements, it is to be expected that the scope of the deliverables will shift as the work progresses. The terms and conditions of the agreement should reflect that reality.

Incorporating a deceased superstar into a live performance is more complicated than simply knowing whom to contact to clear the various rights, particularly if you are messing with that superstar’s image.